2 comments:

iulia
said...

I wonder: was this article written to “provoke” the English-speaking public, or rather the feminine one!?!I must admit it: while reading the post I was starting to feel sorry for the paparazzi-like photographed woman…however, never-minding the “unexpected ending” of the article, I’d dare to express a serious opinion on the topic: do the drivers of such cars (be it women or men) really seem successful and carefree to most of us? Do they really??? I’d say that in my humble opinion it’s completely the opposite: they seem to me neither carefree, and most of all, nor happy! Should it be the burden of the material richness they carry, while trying to increase it or simply managing it?!?! Can it be that they become, without noticing, the slaves of it?!?! Each of us can draw his/her own conclusion, however I have already drawn mine: I am totally sorry for them.

PS. Thank you, for making me realise how much stupid feministic pride still lies in my soul…

Of course, the article - that is my tendentious interpretation of these pics that I took in mid April 2013, on a Greek island - was meant to 'provoke' my readers.

I see that you don't agree with my presumption, that people 'envy' SUV owners and regard them as rather 'successful' persons. Maybe it's not your case, nor mine, but I guess that this general view is prevalent in our consumerist world.

People judge each other based on stereotypes, and a $ 20,000 (or even much more) car is a sign of prosperity and fulfilment, as most of our contemporaries consider wealth as being a prerequisite of hapiness.

It may seem obvious to us, yet many people still don't see that they suffer precisely because of their meaningless material aspirations:

Indeed, I wanted to draw people's attention to the fact that many of these people simply do not 'fit' the clichés about them.

Their apparent freedom of material need is no guarantee that they are free from suffering. Freedom from pain and sorrow is not guaranteed to anyone on earth... Not even to saints, so what could us, ordinary sinners, expect?

Sadly, driving a SUV doesn't automatically come with the sort of relaxed attitude often depicted in advertisitng videos. On the contrary, these motorists are at least as angy as other drivers, if not even more!

To adjust your opinion a bit, I am not "totally" (as you say) sorry for these people. I can admit that they have a good taste in cars and that some of these vehicles are truly amazing.

I'm sorry for those who can't be grateful for the privilege of being able to drive any car, especially a nice-looking, comfortable and reliable vehicle.

And I'm also sorry for those who boast themselves with what they've got, those who disregard other people or who shamlessly break traffic rules, probably imagining that a SUV grants them some kind of 'immunity' to danger and responsibility.

*

I was a bit mean, but I don't want to imply anything about the lady in my pics, nor about women in general.

There's no way I could claim the fact that there are no women who work hard for the money and buy their own SUVs. Nor do I want to say that there are no women who genuinely love the men (presumably husbands) who buy them such gifts.

Anyway, I dare to reckon that these are exceptions. The sad 'rule' may be closer to my politically incorrect presumption...

This blog can't be less bilingual than I am myself. I thank the Lord for this priceless gift, then my parents and teachers for their efforts - which made the English language one of the loves of my life.